2003 Kia Sorento Fuel System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
IT IS BEYOND ME HOW KIA MOTORS CAN GET AWAY WITH TELLING A BUNCH OF AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERS, THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THERE VEHICLES SPITTING BACK GASOLINE ONTO A PERSON AND KIA MOTORS TELLING THEM IT'S AN AIR FILTER. I TOOK MY2003 KIA SORENTO BACK TO THE DEALERS THINKING I WAS GOING TO GET A NEW CHARCOAL FILTER WHEN ALL WAS SAID AND DONE I RECEIVED A $20 AIR FILTER FOR THE CHARCOAL CHAMBER WHICH HAD NO PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH. I STILL HAVE A 2003 KIA SORENTO THAT SPITS FUEL BACK ON TO ME AND I"M WAITING FOR THE DAY SOMEONE THROWS A CIGARETTE BUTT AT ME AND I CATCH FIRE< BECAUSE I WILL OWN KIA OF AMERICA AND A WEALTHY LAWSUIT AGAINST THE NATIONAL TRAFIC SAFETY PANEL. DO YOU KNOW I HAD A SHORT ACCESS TO A KIA SITE RECENTLY AND SEEN OVER 100 SERVICE BULLETINS, NOT JUST 8 THAT ARE ON THIS SITE I GUESS YOU PEOPLE FORGOT WHO YOU WORK FOR THE UNITED STSTES PEOPLE/NOT KIA MOTORS AND YOU CAN BET YOUR ASS I'M NOT DONE UNTIL EVERYONE OF MY SERVICE BULLETINS IS ADDRESSED SO YOU BEAN COUNTERS BETTER START FIGURING BLAME BECAUSE AS I SAID WHEN I'M DONE YOU'LL SEE THIS IS BULLSHIT IF THIS WERE FORD, CHEVY OR CHRYSLER YOU WOULD HAVE DRAGGED THEY'RE ASS ACROSS THE COALS WELL YOU BETTER START WITH THE SLANTY EYE KOREANS TOO. I KNEW THEIR WAS A REASON MY MOTHER DIDN'T WANT ME GOING INTO THEIR BOSTON STORES WHEN I WAS A KID. GOT HELP YOU IF THIS THING CATCHES FIRE WITH MY KIDS IN IT, BECAUSE MY 2 YEAR OLD IS STRAPPED RIGHT ABOVE YOUR NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER I MADE BETTER GO KARTS WHEN I WAS 10 YEARS OLD I DONT KNOW WHAT THE GOVERNMENTS PROBLEM IS BUT IT BETTER BE TAKEN CARE OF OR YOU MAY FIND IT ON YOUR LAWN ON FIRE !!! *TR
FUEL LINE LEAKING. FIXED AND NOW LEAKING AGAIN SOMEPLACE ELSE. *TR
WHEN PUMPING AS INTO THE TANK, GAS SHOOTS OUT OF THE TANK LIKE OPENING A SODA AFTER SHAKING IT UP. FUEL PROJECTION IS VERY FORCEFUL. NO MATTER IF I TRICKLE GAS IN. I HAVE BEEN REJECTED FROM GAS STATIONS BECAUSE TRUCK SPITS OUT SO MUCH GAS & I WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE IS A FIRE HAZARD. KIA PERFORMED TWO RECALLS SC092 & SC073. THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. KIA CUSTOMER CARE NOR THE MECHANICS AT BAY KIA IN NORFOLK, VA HAVE BEEN VERY UNHELPFUL AND INSTEAD OF INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEM, SAY THAT IT IS USER ERROR! *TR
2003 KIA SORENTO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO GASOLINE TANK DEFECT. CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED SHE RECEIVED A VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN LETTER FROM KIA MOTORS REGARDING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK AI FILTER. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE IN SEPTEMBER 2011. HOWEVER, WHEN SHE CONTACTED KIA REGARDING REIMBURSEMENT, SHE WAS INFORMED THERE WAS NO RECALL OF THAT NATURE. KIA INFORMED THE CONSUMER SHE WOULD NOT BE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE DEFECT. THE CONSUMER STATED HER VEHICLE WAS NOT OPERABLE, DUE TO THE FACT, SHE COULD NOT GET MORE THAN ONE GALLON OF GASOLINE INTO THE TANK WITHOUT IT SPRAYING BACK OUT OF THE TANK. THE MECHANIC FOUND THE CHARCOAL CANISTER FALLING APART AND BLOCKING THE AIR FLOW IN CLOSE VALVE, VENT FILTER AND ROLL OVER VALVE. THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY WAS REMOVED AND THE CHARCOAL CLEANED OUT OF THE FUEL TANK AND ROLL OVER VALVE. *JB
WHEN PUTTING GAS IN THE TANK, THE GAS BLEW BACK OUT WITH A FORCE LIKE SHAKING A SODA CAN AND OPENING IT. TODAY WAS THE 3RD AND WORST TIME. IT STARTED ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO WITH THE FUEL JUST SPILLING OUT, BUT TONIGHT IT BLEW BACK OUT AT ME WITH SUCH A FORCE AS TO SPRAY GAS ALL OVER THE FRONT OF ME UP TO MY NECK. MY SHIRT WAS SOAKED, THE GAS WAS ALL OVER MY PANTS AND SHOES. BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME AND SHOWER, BURNS FROM THE GAS ON MY SKIN STARTED APPEARING ON MY CHEST. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO EX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REFUELING,THE INJECTOR WOULD LEAK FUEL AT ANY TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,333 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 109,433.
WHENEVER I ATTEMPT TO PUT GAS IN MY TRUCK, THE GAS ALWAYS COMES BACK OUT. I TRIED TO HAVE IT FIXED BUT NO ONE EVER HEARD OF A GAS TANK DOING THIS UNLESS IT'S FULL ALL READY WHICH I KNOW. I MEAN THE GAS WOULD JUST FLOW OUT REALLY BAD. SOME GAS STATIONS WON'T EVEN ALLOW ME TO USE THEIR STATION IN FEAR OF A FIRE. *TT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SMELL OF FUEL WAS EMITTED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY CONFIRMED A FUEL LEAK FROM THE FUELTANK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,700.
WITHOUT NOTICE THIS VEHICLE STOPPED ACCEPTING FUEL PROPERLY. WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO REFUEL, GASOLINE DOESN'T LEAK OUT, IT SPRAYS AS IF UNDER PRESSURE. MY WIFE, DAUGHTER AND I HAVE EACH BEEN SPRAYED ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. EVEN FILLING VERY SLOWLY CAUSES FUEL TO SPRAY FROM VEHICLE. I WOULD BE GLAD TO VIDEO IT AS IT OCCURS. IT OCCURS EVERY TIME AND CREATES A VERY SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD FOR MY FAMILY AS WELL AS OTHER CUSTOMERS AT THE FILLING STATION. I RECENTLY HAD AN ASE CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN EVALUATE THE VEHICLE AND NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THIS WAS GOING TO BE MY DAUGHTERS FIRST CAR BUT I DON'T FEEL ITS SAFE FOR HER AND WOULDN'T WANT TO TRADE IT TO SOMEONE AND ENDANGER THEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REFUELING, FUEL BEGAN TO SPILL OUT FROM THE FUEL FILLER NECK. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS REFUELED. THE FUEL LIGHT ALSO BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE FUEL CAP WAS REPLACED; YET, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE FUEL LIGHT WAS RESET; HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000. UPDATED 08/11/11*LJ UPDATED 08/12/11*JB
APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AGO, I NOTICED THAT I CANNOT FILL UP MY FUEL TANK IN MY 2003 KIA SORENTO WITHOUT THE FUEL BACKING UP AND KICKING BACK OUT THE TANK. I HAVE TO FILL THE TANK VERY SLOWLY AND IT TAKES A LONG TIME. IT JUST STARTED TO OCCUR ONE DAY AND HAPPENS EVERY TIME I REFILL. *TR
I HAVE A 2003 KIA SORENTO,BOUGHT IN JANUARY,2003. DURING THE SUMMER OF 2009 I FOUND EVERYTIME I FILLED THE GAS TANK,FUEL WOULD "BLOW-BACK" AT FIRST I COULD SOMETIME REMOVE THE NOZZLE AND RE-START THE FILL AND IT WOULD STOP. I ALSO I HAD TO DELIVER THE GAS VERY SLOWLY. SINCE LAST YEAR I FIND I CAN NEVER FILL WITHOUT "BLOW-BACK" AND IT SEEMS I MUST LISTEN FOR THE RUSH OF FUEL TO SPIT BACK. I USUALLY FIND I AM COVERED WITH FUEL AND THE PAINT ON THE REAR PANEL IS BEGINNING TO SHOW DAMAGE FROM THE FUEL. I HAVE NOT BEEN TO THE DEALER AS JUST AS THIS PROBLEM BEGAN, THE KIA DEALER IN DAYTONA BEACH CLOSED. *TR
I HAVE A 2003 KIA SORENTO AND ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO WHEN I WENT TO PUT GAS IN MY CAR THE GAS WAS SPEWING OUT ON MY CAR, THE GROUND, AND ON ME. AND IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME I PUT GAS IN IT NOW. I HAVE TO PUMP VERY SLOWLY SO IT DON'T SHOOT OUT AT ME. BUT THAT TAKES TWENTY MIN TO PUMP HALF A TANK OF GAS. THE KIA DEALERSHIP SAYS THEIR NOT SURE WHAT'S WRONG BUT WILL COST AROUND $600.00-%$800.00 TO FIX IT. *TR
SINCE THE FUEL PUMP OF MY KIA SORENTO 2003 WAS CHANGED ON JUNE 2010, EVERY TIME I FILLED UP THE TANK WITH GAS, IT COMES BACK, VOMITING ALL THE GAS AT THAT MOMENT. I HAVE TO SLOWLY FILL IT UP AND TAKES ME ABOUT 20 MINUTES TO FILL UP THE TANK. NONE OF THE MECHANICS CONSULTED CAN FIND A SOLUTION. *TR
WHEN FUELING THE VEHICLE FUEL HAS BEEN SPRAYING BACK OUT OF THE FUEL FILLER NECK IF THE FUEL IS PUMPED AT A NORMAL RATE. THIS HAS OCCURRED SINCE WELL BEFORE THE 1ST INCIDENT DATE. THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THE FUEL FROM SPRAYING OUT IS TO PUMP THE FUEL VERY SLOWLY AND STOP. FUEL WOULD SPRAY ALL OVER ME, MY WIFE AND THE VEHICLE. WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE FUEL GAUGE REGISTERS 3/4 FULL AND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS GOING UPHILL THE VEHICLE RPM'S WILL DROP, THE THROTTLE BECOMES UNRESPONSIVE AND THE VEHICLE LOSSES SPEED. THE VEHICLE WILL RECOVER AFTER REACHING LEVEL GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KIA AND NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. AGAIN WHILE TRAVELING FOR THE HOLIDAYS ON 11/24/10 AND 11/28/10 THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AGAIN WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE REGISTERED 3/4 FULL AND IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON I-65 ALMOST CAUSING VEHICLES TO RUN OVER ME DUE TO MY SPEED DROPPING ABRUPTLY. I REACHED THE NEAREST FUEL STATION AND FILLED THE TANK UP. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS ABOVE 3/4 FULL. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING AROUND TOWN. THE PROBLEM WITH FUELING THE VEHICLE IS ALL THE TIME.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS DISPENSING THE GASOLINE BACK OUT TOWARDS HER AS SHE ADDED GASOLINE. WHEN THE CONTACT ENTERED THE VEHICLE THE FUEL GAUGE READS FULL WHEN IT WAS NOT COMPLETELY FULL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED HER THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS IN REFERENCE TO THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,500.
I HAVE A 2003 KIA SORENTO AND LAST YEAR IT STARTED TO SPRAY GAS OUT AT ME EVERYTIME I WENT TO FILL IT UP. I TOOK IT IN TO HAVE IT CHECKED AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. MY KIA IS STILL DOING THIS AND I AM GETTING TIRED OF GETTING SPRAYED WITH GAS EVERYTIME I TRY TO PUT GAS IN THE THING. IT NEEDS FIXED AND KIA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. THIS IS A HAZARD AND SOMEBODY WILL EVENTUALLY GET HURT. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS SITUATION. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO FILL THE FUEL TANK, THERE WAS A RESTRICTION THAT ONLY ALLOWED THE FUEL TO ENTER THE FILLER NECK SLOWLY. THE FUEL WOULD ALSO COME BACK OUT (FUEL EXPULSION). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 69,000.
WHEN FUELING MY 2003 KIA SORENTO THE GAS WILL SPEW BACK OUT (AS IF UNDER PRESSURE) ONTO ME, THE VEHICLE AND THE SURROUNDING AREA. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I TRY TO PUT GAS INTO THE SORENTO. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM WITHOUT A COSTLY DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THEY DID 'LOOK' AT THE FUEL LINE AND COULD NOT SEE A PROBLEM. THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT THE GAS FROM SPEWING IS TO PUT THE GAS IN EXTREMELY SLOWLY. FILLING IT SLOWLY SEEMS TO PREVENT THE PRESSURE BUILD UP THAT CAUSES THE GAS TO SPEW. THE SPEWING GAS IS CAUSING THE PAINT ON MY VEHICLE TO PEEL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE THE DRIVER COULD SMELL AN ODOR OF GASOLINE. UPON EXAMINATION GASOLINE COULD BE SEEN LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V353000, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 104,000.
2003 KIA SORENTO GAS TANK DOES NOT REGISTER CORRECTLY. AFTER ABOUT 3/4 FULL, IT DROPS TO READ "EMPTY". THIS STARTED HAPPENING AFTER THE CAR WAS ONLY A YEAR OLD. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX IT AND TO JUST TRY TO GAUGE WHEN THE CAR WAS GETTING CLOSE TO EMPTY. I TRAVEL QUITE A BIT FOR MY JOB AND HAVE BEEN STRANDED ABOUT 4-5 TIMES AT NIGHT WITH AN EMPTY GAS TANK....NOT THE SAFEST OF SITUATIONS. *TR
2003 KIA SORENTO HAS FUEL TANK THAT DOES NOT READ GAS RIGHT. IT WILL TELL YOU EMPTY WHEN IT IS NOT EMPTY THIS GAGE HAS NEVER WORKED RIGHT AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED TO FIX THIS THING BEFORE SOME ONE GET HURT BADLY.
WHEN I ATTEMPT TO FILL THE GAS TANK IN MY 2003 KIA SORENTO, THE GASOLINE BLOWS BACK AT ME. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I ADD GAS. IF I AM NOT CAREFUL IT GETS ON MY CLOTHING, SHOES, OUTSIDE OF MY VEHICLE AND ON THE GROUND. THE DEALERSHIP HAS QUOTED THAT A REPAIR WOULD COST BETWEEN $650.00 AND $850.00 TO FIX IT ALTHOUGH THEY CANNOT TELL ME FOR SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED. *TR
GAS SPEWS OUT WHILE TRYING TO REFUEL, DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S ALMOST EMPTY OR HALF FULL,GETS ALL OVER CAR,GROUND AND ME. HAVE TO DRIBBLE FUEL IN TANK AND TAKES 15 MIN. JUST TO PUT A 1\4 TANK IN. I DON'T LIKE SMELLING OF GAS AND BEING A WALKING FIRE HAZARD. *TR
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. DURING THIS LAST TIME, THE GAS GAUGE SHOWED THAT THE TANK HAVE LESS THAN 1/8 FULL. WHEN I STARTED TO PUMP GASOLINE TO THE VEHICLE'S TANK, THE GAS PUMP ABRUPTLY STOPPED AS IF THE VEHICLE'S GAS TANK IS ALREADY FULL AND GASOLINE SPLASHED BACK OUT OF THE TANK. GASOLINE SPRAYED ALL OVER INCLUDING MYSELF. I CAUTIOUSLY STARTED TO PUMP GAS TO THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I SMELLED LIKE GASOLINE AND RUINED MY CLOTHES. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2003 Kia Sorento has 33 Fuel System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.